Clam-catching implement



Nov. 25, 1930. H. o. ANDERSON CLAM CATCHING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 8, 1929v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 #4: O4/IF4/VOE/FJOM A iiomey Nov. 25, 1930. H o,ANDERSON I 1,782,497

CLAM CATCHING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 8; 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Atiorney and pleasure derived therefrom.

Patented Nov. 25,1930

' Hans orinrnnnnnson, or iiAtiriioN revs, eewiy'oi oLAM-oATcHinG immannt 1 Ap plication'fil ed ember s, 1929. SerialfllIio. 398,196. 7 i

The primary object of the inventionresides in a device for the catchingof clams, oysters,

scallops and other shellfishwhichinhabit the depths of bodies of waterand which bury 5 themselves in" thebotte m or water bed, and" whichconsists in a wire basket having teeth extending therefrom by which tlshell fish maybe raked loose into the: er; and in turn brought to thesurface.

Another object is to provide a clam catching'implement whichina-y beeasily manipu= 'lated by a user when wading in shailow water, or by anoperatorxfrom a boat when operating in deep water.

A further object of the invention: is the provision of a clamminginstrument which may be manipulated by ladies and chiidren,

as well as men, by which those unskilled in the art of catchingclamsjmay en oy the sport A still further object is to provide aelamniing instrument which is simple and strong of construction,relatively light in weight, and comparatively inexpensive ofinanufaeture. Y r

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention resides in certainnovel construction, combination'and arrangement of parts, the essentialfeatures ofwhich are hereinafter described, are particularly "pointedout in the appended claim and are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 isa perspective view of my improved clamming instrument showingthe same in use.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical loin gitudinal sectional viewthrough the head end ofthe implement. i i

Figure 3 is a plan viewlooki'ng inthe direction of the open side of thebasket.

Figure 4; is a rear end elevational view.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical see tional view on the line 55of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10designates my clamming instrument in its entirety which includesan-elongated handle member 11 having a basket head 12 fixedly mounted toone end thereof. The head 12 includes a metal 5 frame 13 formed of asingle length of beam substantially tic'al shape as shown in Figure .Bofthe draw- 1 mg withthe free ends brought'into meeting engagement [andextending in an angular direction to. provide a pointed shankgla" forinsertlon 'into one end of the handle member 11, Ameinforcing sleeveorfcollar15qiencircles the lower end ofthe handle torrein-e force thesame and prevent' accidentalsepa ration of thehead fromjthehandlei.Carried by theframe. IS'Lisawire mesh basket 16, the

mouth 1 of which correspondsto the shape or theframe l3, and; whichbasket is secured to ftame by W re ps oi n wh ch? circle the frame 13and the rim wirelof the said basket as clearly shown inlliigures rare oftheidr'awinga. erably constructed of. a galvanized wireso asto be rustproof, and by securing the fbasket to the frame .t he'manner shown, thebasket may be removed whenv-idesired and replaced by a new one when Wornor damaged.

The outer curved side of the frame 13 is provided with a row of spacedoutwardly extending curved teeth 18, the free endsof which are pointedas at 19. i r

In use of the implement, the operator The wire basket is y graspsthehandle member 11 and'turns the y implement so that the row of teethl8scrape the bottom of the water bed, whereupon the basket 16 is disposedwith'its closed side up.

By drawing the basket head 12 over the a water bottom, the teeth'lS willtend to rake up or loosen anyclams orlike shell fish cans-V ing the sameto enter the basket 16 andbe trapped therein during the dragging of thehead over the bottom. When the basket has become sufficiently filledwith clams, the handle member 11 is turned to present the open .side ofthe basket face up, whereupon the clams which have been collectedtherein may be lifted to the surface and emptied- I It will i beappreciated that it is only necessaryifor the operator to aotuatektheimplement similar to an ordinary rake the clams in the basket.

The implement may be constructed in various sizes and for use inconnection with the large size implement, I provide a flexible pull cordor cable 2 one end of which 1s in order to collect tied or connected tothe handle member adjacent the basket head, while the other end isfastened to an eye or other connecting member 21 provided on a waistencircling belt 22. The belt 22 is secured about the waist of theoperator as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and in the use ofthe same the operator merely guides the imple ment by the grasping ofthe handle 11 and pulls the same along as he walks in a backwarddirection. By the use of the pull cord and belt, the efforts of theoperator are materially reduced as the load in the basket becomes heavyas it fills with the clams.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirableembodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that variouschanges may be made if desired, and I therefore do not limit myself tothe details herein shown nor to anything less than the whole of myinvention limited only by the appended claim. Having thus described theinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isA clam digging implement comprising a substantially circular member, arigid handle attached thereto, a plurality of rigid teeth secured tosaid circular member at the side spaced with respect to said handle, abasket like structure having an open side adapted to conform in shape tosaid circular member, and means for securing said basket like member tosaid circular member with its open side conforming thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HANS OLAF ANDERSON.

